Ecole du Ski Français (ESF) and Le Ski

Today (14 May 2014), the case about social skiing being illegal was due to be heard at the Court of Appeals in Chambery (France). The appeal date has now been set for 2 July 2014.

The appeal date for the "social skiing" case originally brought by ESF against British Tour Operator Le Ski has now been set for 2 July 2014.

"Today (14 May 2014), the case about social skiing being illegal was due to be heard at the Court of Appeals in Chambery (France). The case was referred from November 2013 at the joint request of the Ecole du Ski Français (ESF) and Le Ski as both parties concurred that the European legal issues raised by the case are complex and required careful examination.

Le Ski submitted a detailed written defence which shows, in particular, that French regulations banning ski hosting are clearly discriminatory, as all French civil servants and teachers established in France are exempt from any qualification requirement. The applicable section of French law is therefore unjustifiable under EU law. The ESF have requested more time to consider the legal arguments and extensive European Court case-law on which our defence is based. Given the serious implications of the outcome of this case, and in the interest of a thorough legal debate, we have agreed to a deferral.